Loss is always hard, no matter how often it happens or what form it takes. We experienced the hurt of loss again today as one of our teenagers, Julio, drowned during a swimming trip at a local river in Mateo with our Breaking Chains teens.

Julio with Caitlin, one of our summer interns.

The teenagers have been so great this past week, so the BC team took them for a little excursion to a local watering hole that the teens enjoy. During late afternoon, after a day of swimming, it was discovered that Julio was missing. The other teenagers searched and later found him underwater, unconscious in a deep part of the river. He was 19 years old.

No one witnessed the occurrence, but Julio was a good swimmer so what exactly happened to cause the accident is a mystery. It is believed that he was caught in a current and pulled into an underwater cave. By the time the teens and team realized he was missing, nothing could be done.

Julio was an intelligent young man with a sweet spirit who had lived at the Breaking Chains building since early this year. Julio loved to please and was always willing to help with tasks around the Breaking Chains building. He had a desire to learn and was constantly fighting the battle between his vices and his yearning to improve his life.

Julio loved practicing his English and working with all of our U.S. visitors. We are thankful to all of our summer interns and groups who were able to interact with and have an impact on Julio. Your love, kindness and Christ-like imitation were a greater reflection of godliness for him than you will ever know.

Please be in prayer for everyone at Breaking Chains during this difficult time. Be in prayer for our teens as they cope with the loss of a dear friend, and be in prayer for our Breaking Chains team and interns as we try let go of our desire for logic and give the situation over to God. We will miss Julio dearly, but we rest in the fact that we have a Father full of grace and a Christian family to lift us up. Thank you for your prayers.